Fact or Fiction: Popular 90s Rom Coms

Fact or Fiction: Popular 90s Rom Coms
Start Quiz!
Movies · Retro & Nostalgia

By BrainFall Staff - Updated: April 9, 2024

An explosion of rom coms, or romantic comedies, happened during the ’90s, and many of these movies are still beloved to this day. The rom com boom began in 1990 when Pretty Woman was released. This was quickly followed by many more romantic comedies, including Sleepless in Seattle (1993), My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997), As Good As It Gets (1997), Picture Perfect (1997), How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), There’s Something About Mary (1998), The Wedding Singer (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), Notting Hill (1999), and Runaway Bride (1999).

What made these romantic comedies such a hit was not just the script — it was the actors. More importantly, it was the male and female lead actors that shared a magical on-screen chemistry that is tough to replicate. After Julia Roberts and Richard Gere blew us away, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan quickly became household favorites before Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore turned goofy comedies into heartfelt stories.

Many people rewatch these classic rom coms again and again. If you fit into this category, this is the quiz for you. Prove how much you know about the best romantic comedies of the ’90s with our Fact or Fiction quiz!

90s Rom Coms

'90s rom coms is a term that has become synonymous with some of the most iconic films starring our favorite female actresses, like Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Julia Stiles, Angela Bassett, and even Winona Ryder. These ladies went from actors to international superstars thanks to the explosion of romantic comedies in the '90s. Moviegoers spent the '80s watching bloody fights, slasher films, and over-the-top action flicks. By the '90s, they were ready for something else.

The '90s gave us films like My Best Friend's Wedding, Sleepless in Seattle, Never Been Kissed, Can't Hardly Wait, Pretty Woman, The Wedding Singer, and As Good As It Gets. As audiences watched these movies, they fell in love with actors like Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan. The boom would eventually fade, but not before we were given some of the greatest romantic comedies of all time.

Fact or Fiction: Popular 90s Rom Coms

Ah, the '90s! A glorious era of frosted tips, neon windbreakers, and some of the most charming, laugh-out-loud love stories ever to hit the silver screen. We all remember crowding into theaters or cozying up on our corduroy couches to watch the leading ladies and gents of rom-coms bumble and banter their way into each other's hearts. And wasn't it always just a little bit magical?

Fact or Fiction: Popular 90s Rom Coms

The fascination with 90s rom-coms is as enduring as the will-they-won't-they plotline. Sure, some of the fashion choices and tech references haven't aged like the fine wine we hoped they would. But admit it: we still swoon over those iconic coming-of-age stories and the humor that had us spitting out our soda pop. Now, in a world full of remakes and reboots, we often find ourselves wondering: were these flicks really the gold standard of romance and comedy we remember?

It's time to throw on your favorite scrunchie or slap bracelet, because we're about to separate fact from fiction and take a whimsical wander down memory lane. Did these films teach us valuable love lessons, or were we just crushing on the cast? Get ready to relive the glory days of '90s rom-coms with us and put your nostalgia to the test. Who knows, you might just find yourself grabbing a tub of ice cream and queueing up a marathon after this trip down memory lane.

Defining the 90s Rom-Com Era

A cluttered video rental store with rows of VHS tapes featuring iconic 90s rom-coms. Posters of Meg Ryan and Julia Roberts adorn the walls

Before we get swept off our feet, let's set the stage: this was a decade when chunky cell phones were the height of tech, flannel was the fabric du jour, and rom-coms were our go-to for both tears and chuckles.

Cultural Impact of 90s Romantic Comedies

In the 90s, romantic comedies weren't just movies; they were a cultural phenomenon, capturing the essence of the decade's approach to love and relationships. Films like Runaway Bride and You've Got Mail became not just date-night options, but conversation pieces, influencing everything from fashion trends to our dating lingo.

Iconic Duos and On-Screen Chemistry

Hands up if you were rooting for Julia Roberts and Richard Gere to get together in every movie they starred in. We saw electric pairings like Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks redefine movie chemistry—so much so that we're still sighing over their iconic exchanges in "When somebody asks you to get on a boat, you get on the boat!"

High School and Coming-of-Age Narratives

Ah, high school—when our most significant worries were prom dates and pop quizzes. Films like She's All That with Freddie Prinze Jr. and Clueless featuring Alicia Silverstone captured this battleground of hormones and heartaches, turning it into a breeding ground for love stories and self-discovery.

Shakespearean Threads in 90s Rom-Coms

Oh, William Shakespeare, you might not have known a boombox from a beeper, but your tales fit the 90s like a glove. Adaptations like 10 Things I Hate About You, with the fiery Julia Stiles and the charming Heath Ledger, proved that old Will's understanding of love's labor was not lost.

Romantic Tropes that Defined an Era

From the "makeover reveal" to the "grand gesture," the 90s were chock-full of romantic tropes that had us all swooning. Remember the impromptu karaoke in My Best Friend's Wedding? Or the unforgettable bookshop moments in Notting Hill? Pure rom-com gold, we tell you!

Memorable Moments and Lasting Legacy

Before we take a trip down nostalgia lane, just know we're about to relive the most unforgettable moments that made us laugh, cry, and believe in the power of love during the glorious 90s rom-com era.

Unforgettable Scenes and Dialogues

The 90s gifted us with lines that still make our hearts skip a beat. Who can forget Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman with the zinger, "I want the fairy tale"? Or Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail, making us swoon digitally? These scenes imprinted in our memories are made of that sweet, cinematic magic.

Humor and Emotional Resonance

It wasn't all about the lovey-dovey. These films knew how to tickle our funny bone! Whether it was Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in The Wedding Singer or Ben Stiller battling a ferocious zipper in There's Something About Mary, the blend of humor and emotion was a 90s signature.

Where Are They Now? 90s Stars in Retrospect

Our favorite 90s rom-com stars? We've kept tabs on them! From Pretty Woman's Julia Roberts becoming Hollywood royalty to Joseph Gordon-Levitt evolving from teen heartthrob to indie film hero, our stars' journeys are like subplots of a broader, awesome coming-of-age story.

  • Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger turned 10 Things into catapulting platforms.
  • Meg Ryan remains our quintessential rom-com queen.

The Influence on Modern Rom-Coms

Our beloved 90s romantic comedies set the blueprint for today's love fests. The elements of self-discovery, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen influences can now be seen in films like Crazy Rich Asians — modern flair, but with that 90s gold-standard charm. It's the cycle of rom-com life, and it moves us all!

  • Bridget Jones's Diary -- the spirit of 90s romantic comedy, refined.
  • Modern rom-com characters still chase the depth of emotion and laughter we first fell for decades ago.
Start Quiz!
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
  • step
Question 1/10

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Angela Bassett and Regina King had a few scenes together, but they ended up being cut from the film shortly before it was released.
  • When Taye Diggs found out he got a role in the movie, he streaked through the theater where he was performing Rent.
  • Although many people believed it to be a true story, Terry McMillan later came out and revealed the book was a fictional story she had made up.
  • Oprah Winfrey auditioned for the role of Delilah but ended up losing it to Whoopi Goldberg.
Question 2/10

Clueless (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Clueless was scheduled to film for three months but ended up filming for five months to make time for all the actors' schedules.
  • Freddie Prinze Jr. auditioned for the role of Elton Tiscia but ended up stepping away from it after learning more about the role.
  • Paul Rudd was actually robbed while filming and had his copy of the script stolen along with his backpack.
  • During Cher's infamous classroom speech, Alicia Silverstone purposely mispronounced "Haitians," and the entire crew could not stop laughing so much that the director, Amy Heckerling, kept it in the film.
Question 3/10

Pretty Woman (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Richard Gere is actually such a great piano player, when you see him playing it in the film, that is really him playing the piano.
  • The famous red coat Vivian wears in the film was found in a thrift shop the morning they shot the scene.
  • Although Burt Reynolds wanted to play Edward, film executives could never agree on a high enough salary to hire him.
  • Pretty Woman was the only film to shoot scenes on Rodeo Drive during the week as they have strict filming rules where they usually only allow filming on Sundays.
Question 4/10

Can't Hardly Wait (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Ethan Embry was so convincing that he was on drugs during the filming that the director had to ask him to take a drug test to prove otherwise, and he passed every time.
  • This was actually the film debut of How I Met Your Mother star Jason Segel.
  • Due to scheduling conflicts, the cast had no time to rehearse after receiving the script and started filming the same day.
  • Charlie Korsmo appeared in the film, making it his fifth and final film appearance since he starred in Hook, in 1991.
Question 5/10

Notting Hill (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • The film's final cut was 70 minutes long, which forced them to add scenes into the film during reshoots, just months before the film was released.
  • After having done My Best Friend's Wedding, Julia Roberts was not sure about starring in another romantic comedy, but she changed her mind after talking to Hugh Grant about this film.
  • All the hotel shots were actually filmed on a backlot and not at the Ritz.
  • Julia Roberts decided to tell off the diners in the restaurant scene, which was not in the script but done on the spot.
Question 6/10

There's Something About Mary (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Although considered to be one of the best '90s rom coms ever, the film itself was written as a dark comedy where the hitchhiker did not kill anyone, Ted did. Luckily, the studio scratched that idea and went for silly humor instead.
  • The scene where Ben Stiller gets his scrotum stuck in his zipper was inspired by a true story where a kid in Bobby Farrelly's childhood home had the same thing happen to him.
  • Cameron Diaz was such a terrible golfer that she required a stand-in to take the swings for her.
  • Ben Stiller decided Ted should get dropped while on the stretcher, and this was later added during reshoots after the Farrelly brothers agreed it was too funny not to do.
Question 7/10

She's All That (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • The prom dancing sequence was initially cut from the film because it caused the movie to run too far over its scheduled run time, but it was later put back in so the scene could be used to sell the movie.
  • All school filming took place at the infamous Santa Monica High School in California.
  • Although it ultimately went to Freddie Prinze Jr., the role of Zack Siler nearly went to Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but they wanted someone much taller than Rachael Leigh Cook.
  • M. Night Shyamalan was actually hired to polish up the screenplay and prepare it for filming long before anyone heard about The Sixth Sense.
Question 8/10

10 Things I Hate About You (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • About half of the film was shot on location while the other half was done on various movie sets throughout filming.
  • The house where Kat and Bianca lived was a real house, but only the exterior shots were used for the film.
  • While trying to find the right song to sing during Heath Ledger's football field performance, Julia Styles suggested to the director he should sing Frankie Valli's "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You."
  • Heath Ledger was so afraid of fire that he refused to film his scene where he played with fire in the science lab until the other actors showed him it was safe to do.
Question 9/10

The Wedding Singer (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • The infamous butterfly jean jacket worn in the film was actually owned by Drew Barrymore and was used after the director saw her wearing it between filming.
  • Although it looks like one, Glenn's car is not a DeLorean. It is actually a Mazda RX-7 with a custom body.
  • Adam Sandler, contrary to popular belief, does not sing at all in this film.
  • Glenn Guglia was created for Jim Carrey, and he accepted the role only to later back out because of filming Liar, Liar and The Truman Show.
Question 10/10

Jerry Maguire (Choose the answer that is true.)

  • Cuba Gooding Jr. did most of his own stunts and was the person under the helmet that was filmed during the Rod Tidwell knock-out injury.
  • Jonathan Lipnicki would walk around set telling Cameron Crowe and others that "the human head weighs eight pounds," and it was so adorable that it was added into the film.
  • Tom Cruise helped Cuba Gooding Jr. choreograph his celebration dance after the two actors were joking around between takes.
  • Cameron Crowe was so busy writing the script for Almost Famous that he was able to quickly put together the screenplay for Jerry Maguire just so he could get back to his other work.
Calculating Result...

Follow us for new quizzes!